Informative essay is for military academic purpose. Topic: Lifelong learning.
Please Army writing style, and sources from army, DOD website.

Lifelong Learning in the Military

Name of the student

Course

Instructor’s name

Submission date

Lifelong Learning in the Military

Introduction

Learning is a lifelong process that leads to progress and growth in an individual. Lifelong learning in an individual is the desire to pursue added knowledge to progress in their identified position, state, and maximize on their competence. Lifelong learning is a psychological conditioning rather than a mechanical function, which is essential in the development, growth, and efficiency in an organization (Schwartzman, 2013). A lack of organizational culture supportive of a learning climate challenges the desire to pursue knowledge and condition lifelong learning. The purpose of the paper is to discuss prevalent measures and policies integrated into the military, specifically the Army, to support lifelong learning. It explains the importance of having an organizational culture supportive of lifelong learning in the Army and recommends better ways of improving permanent learning culture and developing favorable strategic policies in the Army.

Measures and Policies Supportive of Lifelong Learning

The primary goals of the Army are developing a force that is adequately trained, sufficiently educated, and maximally competent to perform assigned tasks and execute mission commands even in uncertain environments and complex situations. The Army Doctrine Publication 3-90 on Offence and Defense provides for three essential aspects that require adequate training and lifelong learning among forces. They include creating creative and flexible means of the accomplishment of assigned missions, decision-making in uncertain environments and complex situations, and comprehension of the effects of combats on solders (Turner, 2016). The aspects form a basis for forces to learn and champion for lifelong learning as the three elements, namely, residential, operation, and self-development, focus on issues affecting soldiers directly and indirectly. Moreover, increased learning and understanding of the most effective means and measures to perform mission commands even in complex situations makes soldiers more perfect hence increased productivity and minimized adverse effects.

In the Army, many policies and measures have been integrated to support lifelong learning. For instance, 2016 then Col. Casey Haskins created the Outcomes-Based Training and Education (OBTE) intending to respond to the changing operational milieu. Retired Gen Martin E. Dempsey adopted an advanced version of OBTE that combined competency theory concepts (TRADOC). Forces hence receive advanced and improvised tactics, techniques, and tasks concepts related to the changing operational environments. Until today, the revised standards, producers, and tactics reinforce and facilitate lifelong training among soldiers in the forces (Robinson, 2017). These learning sources form a solid background for the development of other permanent supportive programs such as the Continuous Adaptive Learning Model and the U.S. Army’s Lifelong Learning Program (LLP). In addition, the DOD provides the largest platform for workforce adult education programs. Other supportive measures of lifelong learning include Skill-Based Training (SBT), Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM), and learning centers developed (Wyche, 2013).

Importance of Lifelong Learning in the Army

Lifelong learning among soldiers results in individual and organizational benefits. The presence of learning programs provides soldiers with a platform to conduct self-development, better understand institutional instructions, and enhance operational experiences. In the contemporary world, many trends and events keep changing, for instance, the development of advanced technology, changing modus operandi among terror groups, evolving criminal activities, and generally changing operational environments. For this reason, it is essential to have forces well equipped with modern and improvised tactics, procedures, and standards to ensure they match the changing operational environments (Turner, 2016). This way, the Army and soldiers are adequately trained, sufficiently educated, and maximally competent to perform assigned tasks and execute mission commands even in uncertain environments and complex situations. In this case, lifelong learning aligns with the Army’s organizational mission making it essential and vital in the organization and forces.

Lifelong learning in the Army creates full-spectrum molding on operations, as soldiers are more adaptive, resilient, can think critically, and act ethically. Soldiers must learn how to adapt to new situations, think on the ground, and work effectively. This results in restoring rigor in the Army, through maximized effectiveness and performance as an organization, due to the attainment of MVGOs (mission, vision, goals, and objectives) and globally in response to professionalism, ethics, and social responsibility. As seen above, learning and training in the Army emphasize three main elements, namely, comprehension of combat effects, effective decision-making, and equipment of creative response tactics. Basing learning and training on these three aspects results in benefits (Turner, 2016). Primarily, continuous learning of creative response and mitigation strategies, as well as effective decision-making on an individual level, increases soldiers’ competence and efficacy while minimizing the over-dependence or reliance on technology. In turn, this develops high levels of soldier adaptability, responsibility, and flexibility in any situation, whether sophisticated or light. Lifelong learning programs provide for continuous exercise and acquisition of baseline skills among soldiers in the Army.

Lifelong learning programs in the Army span soldiers’ careers during and beyond their serving term in the Army by providing life learning opportunities and addressing their educational needs. With lifelong learning, soldiers grow and develop professionally, which benefits them, the organization, and the community. While in service, soldiers continue with in-service professional development, where they can undertake voluntary educational opportunities and post-military opportunities. Lifelong learning through program and training policies improve readiness among soldiers and their units, collectively supporting a unified operation today and in the future (Wyche, 2013). Hence, it reinvigorates the Army’s core competence to extend the operational reach and promote action freedom among soldiers. The skills, knowledge, and abilities acquired are essential for self-development, professional growth, and societal advancement.

In conclusion, individual, lifelong learning improves confidence among soldiers, as they feel ready to tackle new and complex situations. Sources of confidence and preparedness are due to full-spectrum molding on operations, where soldiers are more adaptive, resilient, think critically, and act ethically. Lifelong learning maximizes organizational effectiveness, increases effective ground operations management, enhances job satisfaction, and promotes ethical actions at an organizational level.

Recommendations

The analysis above concludes that lifelong learning in the Army results in benefits at individual, institutional, and societal levels. Moreover, the practice helps the Army align and achieve the organizational mission, vision, goals, and objectives. Hence, it is plausible to adopt measures and policies that create an organizational learning climate for all in the Army and provide learning opportunities for in-service and beyond performance and productivity. The Army should allocate adequate budget and capital support to fund learning opportunities and activities that are both content and problem solving oriented. Adequate funding will help provide conclusive and comprehensive learning courses, programs, and training facilities. The Army should also push for policies that promote and support mandatory learning among veterans and civilian employees for inclusive development and growth of all involved stakeholders. Thirdly, creating an organizational learning climate and leading as examples among top executives and leaders will motivate and challenge soldiers to partake learning. This will enhance their understanding of the world, provide better life and professional opportunities, and improve operation, effectiveness, and quality of life, which will translate in professional and personal development.

References

Robinson, A. (2017, August 23). Army Seeks Gamers’ Input to Help Shape Future Force. Retrieved from USA DEPT OF DEFENSE: https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/1286948/army-seeks-gamers-input-to-help-shape-future-force/

Schwartzman, R. D. (2013). Transforming Leader Development through Lifelong Learning. Academic Journal of Military Review, Vol 83(3).

Turner, M. L. (2016, June 09). THE ART OF BALANCING TRAINING, EDUCATION. Retrieved from ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY: https://www.ausa.org/articles/art-balancing-training-education

Wyche, M. G. (2013, May 1). Skills-based training promotes lifelong learning for Army 2020. Retrieved from https://www.army.mil/article/101508/skills_based_training_promotes_lifelong_learning_for_army_2020